The Red-whiskered Bulbul is about ২০ ছেণ্টিমিটাৰ (৭.৯ ইঞ্চি) in length. It has brown upper-parts and whitish underparts with buff flanks and a dark spur running onto the breast at shoulder level. It has a tall pointed black crest, red face patch and thin black moustachial line. The tail is long and brown with white terminal feather tips, but the vent area is red.

The loud and evocative call is a sharp kink-a-joo (also transcribed as pettigrew or kick-pettigrew or pleased to meet you[2]) and the song is a scolding chatter. It is more often heard than seen, but will often perch conspicuously especially in the mornings when they call from the tops of trees. The life span is about 11 years.[8]

This is a bird of lightly wooded areas, more open country with bushes and shrubs, and farmland. Irruptions have been noted from early times with Thomas C. Jerdon noting that they "periodically visiting Madras and other wooded towns in large flocks."[15]

The breeding season is spread out and peaks from December to May in southern India and March to October in northern India.[3] Breeding may occur once or twice a year.[17] The courtship display of the male involves head bowing, spreading the tail and drooping wings.[17] The nest is cup-shaped, and is built on bushes, thatched walls or small trees. It is woven of fine twigs, roots, and grasses, and embellished with large objects such as bark strips, paper, or plastic bags.[14]Clutches typically contain two to three eggs.[17]

They defend territories of about ৩,০০০ বৰ্গ মিটাৰ (৩২,০০০ ফুট২) during the breeding season.[18] They roost communally in loose groups of hundred or more birds.[19][20]